Lateral door adjustment structure



D. J. SEAMAN LATERAL DOOR ADJUSTMENT STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 2, 1940 July 6, 1943.

DAVID J EEAMAN Patented July 6, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LATERAL DOOR ADJUSTMENT STRUCTURE David J. Seaman, Battle Creek, Mich. Application August 2, 1940, Serial No. 349,407

5 Claims.

The present invention relates to doors and more particularly to structure for adjusting the width of doors.

It is a common occurrence for door frames in buildings to vary in dimensions during the first several years of life due to settling, shrinkage and the like. The usual remedy is to plane off the sides of a door to make it properly fit the frame. However, when metal doors are used, as is common in public buildings, a serious problem arises.

for they may not readily be shaped to accommodate the changed door frame. The present invention makes possible the adjusting of the dimensions of a door to accommodate itself to a door frame, the dimensions of which have changed since the door was originally hung. The invention also has application in adapting a door to a door frame when it is originally hung, in the event of a building error, resulting in a door frame not properly adapted to the door which is:

to be used. According to the present invention, a door is made of two telescopic portions which may be adjusted laterally with respect to each other to change the dimensions of the door. The

invention is particularly applicable to the type door employing a door post having pivots at the top and bottom thereof about which the door is swung.

An object of the invention is to provide a door having two portions which may be adjusted with respect to each other to adjust the dimensions of the door.

Another object of the invention is to provide a door having a post. and a body portion, the post being telescopically disposed with respect to the body portion and having structure for telescopically adjusting the body portion into and out of the post for adjusting the width of-the door.

A further object of the invention is to provide a door having a post and a body portion telescopically arranged with respect to the post and means in the post for forcing the body and post apart and also for drawing the post and the body together for adjusting the width of the door.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following specification when taken with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical central section through a door showing one form of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a section on the line ]1II of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical central section of a door showing another form of the invention, and

Fig. 4 is a partial vertical central section of a door showing still another form of the invention.

Referring particularly to the drawing, the reference character I indicates a door frame in which is pivotally mounted thedoor 2 having supporting pins 3 and 4 at the top and bottom thereof, supported in bearings 5 and 6 respectively. Th pins 3 and. 4 are supported in blocks 1 and 8 respectively which are in turn supported in a door post .9, arcuate in cross-section and in the form of an open-sided tube, shown in Fig. 2. The foregoing structure is not considered to be a part of the present invention and is similar generally to the construction disclosed in my Patent No. 2,184,259. It'- is. to be understood that the specific forms of the pins 3 and 4 and the associated supporting structures are diagrammatic only for. the purpos of disclosing the present invention .and that. in actual use corresponding structure of the. nature of that disclosed in my aforesaid patent is preferable. Furthermore, it is contemplated that the .door may be used in association with a check of the character disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 349,408, filed August 2, 1940.

Secured in theidoor post 9, centrally thereof, is a bracket l9, having a receptacle for receiving a steel ball H. Suitably securedto the door 2 as by screws I 2 is anotherbracket l3 for bearing against ball II in the bracket ID. The purpose of the brackets ii) and I3 is to provide a support for carrying a major portionof the weight of the door from the'post 9, and the ball on the bracket l0 isto receive the thrustexerted by the bracket I3 and the door 2 and-to permit adjustment of the door 2 inwardly and outwardly with respect to thepost 9 with a minimum of frictional resistance.

Associated with thedoor frame I is a frame member l4 for providing a seal between the post 9 and the frame I. The member H! has a surface arcuate in cross-section facing the post 9 and may take-several forms as for instance, the form shown in my Patent No. 2,184,259.

- Adjacent the-upper and lower ends of the post 9 aresecured blocks l5 and opposite the blocks 15, on the door 2, are plates [6. Threaded in each block [5 is an elongated set screw I1 which extends into contact with the plate It. The heads of the set screws I! are made accessible through openings It] in the post 9. Projecting through bores 19 in the blocks I5 are cap screws 20 which are threaded into tapped bores 21 in th plates It. The heads 22 of the cap screws 29 bear against shoulders 23 in the block I5. The cap screws 20 serve to draw the door 2 against the set screws I1, and the set screws I! serve to force the door outwardly with respect to the post 9 as well as to determine the position to which the door 2 may be drawn by the cap screw 20. Thus by proper manipulation of the set screws I1 and the cap screws 20, the door 2 may be adjusted laterally to the desired position with respect to the post 9 and the frame I.

Another form of the invention is disclosed in Fig. 3 wherein the door 2 is provided with a pair of plates 25, only one of which and its associated screws is shown. In this form of the invention, the set screws I! are replaced by screws 26, having flanged heads 2! bearing against the inside of the post 9. The ends of the screws 28 are threaded in tapped bores 28 in the plates 25 and the heads 29 project through openings 30 in the post 9. The cap screws 20 of the structure of Fig. 1 are replaced by screws 31 having heads 32 seating against shoulders 33 in the post 9. The ends of the screws 3| are threaded into tapped bores 34 in the plates 25. Thus in order to effect an adjustment of the door 2 by the structure disclosed in Fig. 3, the screws 3| are employed to draw the door 2-toward the post 9 and the screws 26 are employed to'force the door 2 from the post 29.

After anadjustment is obtained, the adjustment is locked by tightening the two screws with respect to one and another.

' Still another form of the invention is disclosed in Fig.4, wherein a pair of blocks 38 are secured to the post 9 at points corresponding to the positions of theblocks l of Fig. 1, only one block 38 and its associated screws being shown. The set screws ll of Fig. 1 are replaced by set screws 39 threaded into the blocks 38 and are accessible to the outside of the post 9 through openings 40 therein. The set screws 39 bear against opposed plates 4| in the door 2. The set screws 39 are hollow, being provided with central bores 42 through which project cap screws 43 which are threaded into tapped bores 44 in the plates 4|. The heads of the cap screws 43 bear against shoulders 45 in the set screws 39. Thus, in order j to effect an adjustment of the door 2 with respect to the post 9, the door 2 is forced away from the post 9. by means of set screws 39 and drawn toward the post 9 by means of the cap screws 43. It is to be understood that when the adjustment is completed the plates 4| will be disposed tightly against the set screws 39. p

In each of the three forms of the invention disclosed,'after an adjustment has been made, the door. is locked in its adjusted position by actuatingthe door pulling screws to draw the door 2 up against the door pushing screws, or by actuating the door pushing screws to leave them under a pushing stress. While the invention has been described as particularly adaptable to adjusting doors, it is to be understood that it is applicable to other uses, and for instance, could be employed to adjust the frame member M with respect to the frame 1 so as to provide a correct spacing of the frame member M with respect to the post 9. Also it is not considered that any particular number of sets of pushing and pulling screws is necessary. In some instances only one set may suflice. Also in instances where the brackets 10 and I3 are not necessary they may be dispensed with.

Having thus described my invention what I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim is:

1. In a door, a body portion, a vertical post portion adjacent one edge of the body portion, having a laterally extending recess therein for telescopically receiving said door portion, a substantially horizontal ledge on one of said portions and a substantially horizontal shoulder on the other of said portions, said ledge supporting said shoulder, whereby the door portion is supported with respect to the post portion, and means connecting said body and post portions together, said means comprising means to draw said body portion to said post portion and means to force said body portion from said post portion.

2. In a door, a body portion, a vertical post portion having a laterally extending recess for telescopically receiving said door portion and means connecting said body and post portions together, said means comprising screw means threaded in said body portion and having a shoulder abutting against said post portion to draw said body portion to said post portion, screw means threaded to said post portion and having a shoulder abutting against said body portion to force said body portion from said post portion, whereby the effective width of the door may be adjusted and means on said post for supporting the weight of said door, said means being arranged to permit adjustment by said screw means.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein there is provided antifriction means between the ledge and shoulder for facilitating the telescopic action of the body with respect to the post portion.

'4. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein the means for supporting the weight of the door includes antifriction means for facilitating the telescoping of the body portion with respect to the post portion.

5. In a device of the character described, a first portion, a second portion, means connecting said portions in fixed relation, said means comprising "facilitating the action of said drawing and forcing means.

DAVID J. SEAMAN. 

